Preliminary Research
Research shows that Mecca and Medina are Islam’s holiest sites as they have spiritual significance for the Islamic religion (Alshehri 1). To start with Mecca, Mecca is the place of originality for Islam and houses the Kaaba, which is the holiest Islamic shrine. It was considered an important trading center of Central and Western Arabia throughout history. Similarly, in the seventh century, it is believed that Prophet Muhammad was the founder of Medina when he migrated from Mecca (Alshehri 4). Medna was formerly known as Yatrib, a rural settlement. Over the years, it has undergone tremendous changes because it currently has the Prophet’s mosque, called al-Masjid an-Nabawi, which has been Islam’s place of prayer.
Field Research
The virtual visit to Mecca and Medina revealed important symbols, architecture, cultural practices, and social interactions. First and foremost, pilgrims gather at the grand mosque in large numbers. They perform specific religious acts, such as kneeling down for spirituality (The New York Times). The grand mosque has specialized features like live footage transmission that encourages viewers to watch from anywhere worldwide throughout the day. There are also CCTV cameras that add depth to security protocols. The virtual visit also captured the Kaaba, a cube structure representing Islam’s holiest sites. This symbol is important to Muslims as it represents the house of god. Muslims in the world always face the Kaaba as they pray. In the grand mosque, they walk around the Kaaba seven times to symbolize unity amongst them as they worship.
Southeast Mecca also has another place of worship known as Mount Arafat or the Mountain of Mercy (The New York Times). They believe that on this site, prophet Muhammed gave his last sermon encouraging Muslims to live in unity. Mecca has additional components like souvenirs and snacking areas like any other site. Special architecture, such as museums, high-end restaurants, luxury hotels, and the royal Mecca clock tower, are in these places of worship (The New York Times). During this time, malls and shops close to the Kaaba are closed. Additionally, worshipers pray in the mall spaces while facing the direction of the Kaaba.
Supplementary Research.
After the virtual visit, the question that comes to mind is the significance of Umrah to Muslims, as shown by the New York Times. The physical site visit was recorded during the minor pilgrimage of Umrah. Studies show that Umrah is a certain religious practice that is performed in the Kaaba to get closer to Allah (Meutia 33). Correspondingly, Mohammed et al. indicate that, unlike the Hajj, which has a particular calendar, Umrah takes place at any time of the year and is highly recommended by the Quran (487). After the virtual visit, I discovered why Muslims only faced one direction when praying. Hashmi et al. say that facing the sacred direction is because it matches the perpendicular direction of Meccah (57). Overall, the virtual visit was educative and eye-opening towards understanding diverse religious practices.
Canterbury Cathedral
Preliminary Research
Situated in England’s East Kent, the Canterbury Cathedral is one of the largest domineering churches in the world (Canterbury Cathedral). The church began in 597 AD, and up to now, it has more than eighty-five million Christians following this Anglican Communion. In East Kent, the church has three hundred other branches. In 597 AD, St Augustine built the first Cathedral in Kent (Canterbury Cathedral). From 1070-1077, the church was redesigned by Archbishop Lanfranc. In 1170, one of the major priests, Thomas Becket, was murdered in the Cathedral. Between 1175 and 1184, New Quire rebuilt the Cathedral in three forms that are used to date; Eastrn Crypt, Corona Chapels, and Trinity. Becket’s body was placed in the Trinity Chapel in 1220. The church was later destroyed and rebuilt from 1377 to 1405, and the current structure is Bell Harry Tower, which expanded the Cathedral in 1498 Canterbury Cathedral). In 1538, Henry VIII destroyed the chapel that held Beckett’s body. The Cathedral was again dissolved in 1540 but later rebuilt from 1660 to 1704, and the northwest tower was rebuilt in 1834. It underwent repairs in 1954 after the war, the AltarAltar of the Sword’s point was restored in 1986, Compass Rose was established in the Nave in 1988, and the construction of the International Study Centre in the precincts occurred in 2000. The church stands out as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the most visited site in the UK.
Field Research
The virtual visit to the Canterbury Cathedral revealed that the church has different architecture and symbols. The inside of the Cathedral has the Romanesque and Gothic style originating from the medieval era (Canterbury Cathedral). On the pulpit’s roof is a well-built fan vaulting called the Bell Harry Tower. The Cathedral also has magnificent stained glass crafted decades ago but undergoes several changes to match the modern crafts. The church’s main body is the Nave, where hundreds of people pass through every day to pray or visit. At the floor of the Nave is the Compass Rose, which indicates the Mother Church, pointing to the corners of the compass to signify a wider Anglican community (Canterbury Cathedral). Archbishop Thomas Beckett’s site is also an important feature of the church, with an altar and a four-sword sculpture above the AltarAltar representing Beckett’s martyrdom. His body has been in the magnificently built Trinity Chapel for over fifty years (Canterbury Cathedral). Most services are held in the Quire, including Sunday services and the daily evensong. In the middle of the Quire is a lantern in the form of an eagle, which is believed to be the symbol of St John the Evangelist reading the Bible during the services.
Supplementary research
After the virtual visit, there were questions about the religious practices in the Cathedral. Morning prayers called Matins take place every day and are usually half an hour or less. Additionally, there is the choral evening that is every day by the Cathedral’s choir (Canterbury Cathedral). The services include a daily Eucharist or a Holy Communion lasting half an hour every day from 0800 hours and on Wednesdays at 1230 hours (Canterbury Cathedral). There is also a Sung Eucharist that happens on Sundays, where it is celebrated using songs and hymns. The Sacrament of Reconciliation or confessions and counsels are conducted in The Holy Innocents Chapel on Fridays (Canterbury Cathedral). This service is conducted by a priest who counsels people about forgiveness and overcoming sins to get closer to god.
Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery
Preliminary Research
Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery is located in Tuen Mun in Hong Kong. The first construction of the monastery began in 1960 (360 Cities). 1973, the monastery was reconstructed and later completed in 1980, costing approximately 60 million local currencies (360 Cities). The Miu Fat Buddhist monastery is an important Buddhist architecture representing the religion, beliefs, and teachings (Lau). The hall can hold ten thousand Buddhas simultaneously (360 Cities). The monastery serves the Buddhists in Hong Kong and assists them in preserving the religious traditions of the Buddhists.
Field Research
The virtual visit to the Miu Fat Monastery reveals significant information about the monastery’s architectural features and symbols. The Monsaty is a three-story building with Chinese symbols and artifacts. The video on YouTube, HKmyTravel.com, gives a virtual tour of the monastery’s exterior, while the 360 Cities website offers pictures of the interior. At the main hall’s entrance, the Mahavira hall, stands Buddha statues that are 5 meters tall. The roof is covered with unique paintings of Budha. The main hall has chairs that are very short and brown. The article by Lau reveals that the height of the monastery is five meters, covering 11,200 square meters. The website 360 Cities revealed that the main colors used inside the temple were mainly gold, red, and orange.
Supplementary research.
The virtual visit only offered details concerning religious worship’s architectural features and symbols. However, it did not entirely give the meaning of Buddhism. According to Rooij and Zsoka, Buddhism is a religious tradition that follows the teachings of Siddharta about the correct way of living life. His teachings teach people how to attain nirvana, which basically means the development of personal spirituality and happiness by eradicating vices such as hatred or delusion (Lau). The religion does not also follow any god.
Comparison
After visiting the three sites, I found they vary to a comparable degree. Mecca is globally recognized and is very important for the Islamic religion. The Miu Fat Monastery was basically built for the Buddhists, while the Canterbury Cathedral was constructed for Christianity. Unlike the Canterbury Cathedral and Mecca, the Miu Fat was also constructed recently. Buddhism is a nontheistic region, while Christianity and Islamic religions believe in a Supreme God. They also vary in relics, furniture, religious practices, leaders, and number of followers.
On the other hand, the three sites share similarities because the countries that host them have invested financial resources into constructing and reconstructing them. Although religious structures take many shapes and serve varied functions, ancient polytheistic temples, Jewish synagogues, Christian cathedrals, Islamic mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples, and Christian churches were all designed to be places of worship.
Personal reaction
I enjoyed taking the online trip to the three religious sites. Witnessing the magnificence and beauty of the symbols and architectural designs was inspiring. Even though the visit was virtually done, the three locations offered a comprehensive educational experience. The religions are quite different from one another, and they have unique ways of inspiring people globally. I learned that despite the differences, the three religious sites are common regarding community and spirituality. I have also understood the religious beliefs and practices of the three religions. I have now concluded that it is good to appreciate religious diversity to promote global peace.
Works Cited
360 Cities. “Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery 妙法寺 – virtual tour 4.” 360 Cities, www.360cities.net/image/mfbm4.
Alshehri, Atef. “Mecca and Medina, Sacred Sites or Development Engines?.” Middle East Quarterly (2019).
Canterbury Cathedral. “Our Story.” 2024, www.canterbury-cathedral.org/our-story/.
Canterbury Cathedral. “Services.” 2024, www.canterbury-cathedral.org/worship/our-services/#services.
Canterbury Cathedral. “The Canterbury Journey Learning Resource.” 2024, learning.canterbury-cathedral.org/the-cathedral/.
Hashmi, T., A. Aldahe, and M. Zidan. “Muslim congregational prayer and COVID-19 transmission.” Int. J. Med. Rev. Case Rep 4 (2020): 57-59
HKmyTravel.com. “Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery 妙法寺.” YouTube, 15 Mar. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5S8bvC_Dpw.
Lau, Hoo-cheong. “Redevelopment of Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery.” HKU Theses Online (HKUTO) (1994).
Meutia, Intan Fitri, et al. “The Agenda Setting Policy for Hajj and Umrah in Post-Pandemic.” 2nd International Indonesia Conference on Interdisciplinary Studies (IICIS 2021). Atlantis Press, 2021.
Mohammed, Islam, et al. “Haji and Umrah.” Encyclopedia of Tourism Management and Marketing (pp.485-489)Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2022, pp. 485-489, www.researchgate.net/publication/363023181_Hajj_and_Umrah.
Rooij, Laurens, and Zsoka Kockzan. “Buddhism.” Jan. 2015, www.researchgate.net/publication/312292611_Buddhism.
The New York Times. “Pilgrimage: A 21st Century Journey Through Mecca and Medina | 360 VR Video | The New York Times.” YouTube, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=coKs3KnIcao.
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